Why informal conversations are the main source of B2B deals

Where are the “backstage conversations” anyway? And how? Where are they happening? How do you get in there? ;-)

There’s no single “right” place for backstage conversations. It might be a coffee break before your talk while you’re sitting in the front row, or even a hiking trip with trekking poles — what matters is that there’s trust and a live conversation going on (ideally one-on-one).

In fact, informal conversations at conferences and meetings often achieve more than official panels. For most C‑level leaders in IT and B2B, long-term success comes not from presentations but from the relationships that form in informal settings.

When working with large companies where contracts are built on trust, these are exactly the kinds of conversations that open doors to partnerships. Without formalities and KPIs, you can honestly discuss a business’s real pains, identify growth points, and lay the groundwork for future deals.

Focus on representatives of potential key clients—for example, in logistics, employees at companies like Maersk or DHL. Speak not in abstract terms but about their supply chains, bottlenecks, and real constraints.

A good balance of effort is 50/50: new contacts and existing clients.

With current clients, strengthen trust through value: recommendations, useful connections, analytics, and careful insights about the market and competitors.

With new contacts, help them quickly get into context: introduce them to organizers, make warm intros to speakers, and connect them with the right people.

Don’t ignore competitors either. Informal exchange of insights, conversations about the market, and even potential alliances against common challenges are also part of actively influencing the ecosystem.

Hallway conversations work year-round but are especially effective at large trade shows and conferences with a clear schedule.

There’s a special rule for year-end. In the fourth quarter, most key KPIs are almost closed, and in November–December companies are “squeezing out” the remaining results. This is the perfect time for unhurried conversations about plans, strategies, and what will happen next year—without pressure or rush.

At a logistics conference, my acquaintance Vasily had an informal conversation with competitors of one of our clients—a retail chain in Kazan—about key operational figures. These insights helped stabilize deliveries, and the result was highly appreciated by the client’s management.

Communicate the right way. Talk to people one-on-one; build trusting relationships.